America’s Cup: Capsize at the start! Shock for the French at the opening race in Naples

Light and shifty winds in Naples on Friday afternoon initially meant that the sailors, race organisers and around 20,000 fans on the shores and in the Race Village had to wait a long time for the first races to get underway. The difficult weather conditions had been caused by thunderstorms early that morning. Race One, which had already started, had to be abandoned several times because the wind dropped so sharply at the first gate that it no longer reached the minimum wind limit, causing the foilers to get stuck. But then, at last, the race got underway.

The first round ended with the first surprise: the American Racing Challenger Team USA raced to victory in its first race of this America’s Cup cycle. Helmsmen Harry Melges and Lucas Calabrese, along with trimmers Michael Menninger and Hans Henken, guided their AC40 foiler around the course, as if they hadn’t only recently embarked on this new challenge as a last-minute team.

Luna Rossa’s veteran sailors are also shining in the upcoming America’s Cup venue

However, as was the case at the first pre-regatta in Cagliari, Luna Rossa’s senior crew were the best team of the day. Peter Burling was the only one who had also helmed in Cagliari. His three teammates in Naples – port-side helmsman Marco Gradoni and the trimmers Maria Giubilei and Gianluigi Ugolino – were new additions for the first showdown in the future America’s Cup venue. Together, on the first of the three days of racing, the quartet demonstrated just how deep the Italian team’s talent pool is at the very top.

​Three-time America’s Cup winner Peter Burling said on Friday evening in Naples: “It wasn’t an easy first day, but it all turned out well in the end. The conditions were challenging, particularly in the second race, when the wind and waves were coming from different directions. But it’s great – and also interesting – to race in these conditions.”

"I’d say we’re satisfied." Peter Burling

The Luna Rossa quartet topped the standings on Friday evening after two races, having finished 2nd and 1st, with 19 points, ahead of the senior crews from Emirates Team New Zealand and ARC Team USA (both on 14 points). They were followed by the women’s and junior teams from Luna Rossa and Cobham-Ultra GB2 (both on 13 points). Behind them, after the first quarter of the races, came Tudor Team Alinghi (11 points).

First at the back, then at the front: the Tudor Team Alinghi goes on the attack

Although the Swiss team, with helmsmen Paul Goodison and Phil Robertson, had not managed to finish higher than ninth – and last – in the first race, as they were overpowered in their J1 in the wind that subsequently picked up rapidly, they were even able to challenge Luna Rossa at the front in the second race and finish in a brilliant second place. ​

Tudor Team Alinghi’s strong performance was also reflected in the data: in terms of pure speed, the Italian and Swiss boats were only just apart. Tudor Team Alinghi achieved an average speed of 32.29 knots during the race, compared with 32.33 knots for Luna Rossa.

At the bottom of the standings after two races were the New Zealand women’s and junior teams (11 points), the disheartened “GB1” team led by Dylan Fletcher (6 points) and the hard-hit La Roche-Posay Racing Team. Click here for the individual race results and the provisional standings after two races (just scroll down a little).

A shock for France’s America’s Cup contenders

For the French team, who had finished sixth in the first race, the second race got off to a shocking start. After they had crossed the starting line several seconds too early, the manoeuvre they immediately carried out resulted in their boat plunged almost vertically and deep into the waters of the Mediterranean, like a torpedo and capsized. That was not what they had expected the La Roche-Posay Racing Team, the helmsmen Quentin Delapierre and Diego Botin, and their trimmers Jason Saunders and Florian Trittel I had imagined it to be completely different.

“They wanted to turn round, but they did it very quickly. As you could see, they then went into a nosedive. Then they lost control of the rudder, which was no longer in contact with the water. And if you can’t steer, you can no longer sail the boat,” explained 49erFX Olympic champion Odile Lambriex van Aanholt, who is providing expert commentary on the race alongside Niall Myant-Best, Shirley Robertson and Cole Tapper.

However, the French racing team had already delivered some good news on Friday evening for all those who were concerned about how the French team, bolstered by Spanish riders, would fare over the next two days. The team stated: “We’ve learnt a great deal today. We’re pushing to the limit – and sometimes beyond. But that’s racing: push, learn and come back stronger. Two more intense days of racing lie ahead. And one thing is certain: we’ll be ready. See you tomorrow!”

Four fleet races are now scheduled for Saturday, instead of three. The first race is due to start at 2.10 pm. Click here for the live broadcast from 2 pm. And here you can see the start of Race Two on Friday, with the French capsize shown once again in the replay: